Chambersburg juniors Mary Kate Norcross and Karsen Rush passed a major hurdle Monday in the PIAA Eastern Regional and qualified for the PIAA State Golf Championships.

Norcross shot 83 at windy and cold Golden Oaks in Fleetwood to place fourth in the Class AAA girls division, while Rush fired a 4-over par 76 to tie for seventh place in Class AAA boys. It will be the first trip to states for each of the Chambersburg golfers. Ian Patterson in 2015 was the last Trojan to qualify for states.

“The wind was blowing about 20 miles an hour and it was cold,” Trojan coach Mark Yost said. “Downwind it was OK, but it was tough into the wind. It’s the first time this season we’ve played in weather like that.”

Norcross started her round on No. 15 and had some difficulties early, including carding double bogeys on three straight holes — 18, 1 and 2. But, over her final six holes, Norcross was even par, and made a birdie on No. 10.

Yost said, “She was a little down with the way she was playing early, but she held it together nicely. She was concerned because her score was a little high, but with the conditions, it was good enough for fourth place.”

Rush had a similar round. After his first 10 holes, he was 4-over par, including a double on the par 3 No. 15.

“It was downwind and he had trouble picking the right club,” Yost said.

However, Rush played his final eight holes in even par, including a birdie on his final hole, No. 5, when he chipped in.

Yost said, “Karsen didn’t do anything special in his round except for that chip-in. It was a day you had to grind. The good news is he made it to states after two years of heartbreaking misses.”

Norcross was the only Mid Penn golfer to qualify and Rush had the best score among three MPC golfers who advanced.

The state tournament is next Monday and Tuesday at Heritage Hills in York.